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It's not really a matter of being driven away, I'll still be at my local festivals, that are a lot more lightly attended, anyway. The NYC kite festival has been great the last few years, but I understand why most people don't want to make the extra few mile drive on the BELT PARKWAY to get there. The venue is spectacular, and there's plenty of room for anyone to fly anything. The 'festivals' further east on the Island are OK, just that they are so lightly attended that it's hard to tell that it's actually a festival. I will say that it was great to meet a number of people from this & other forums, and I did learn a bit from the people that I watched. Sorry I missed you, I haven't seen you fly since the NE Stunt Kite clinic in 2008.~Rob

This is my first Year back into Comp flying after a Long battle of illness etc. Im flying the BASKL group and when I first showed UP it was a JOKE!~!

Now nothing personal towards the organization. However when it takes going to THREE yes THREE events before you are informed of things. Only when you start asking questions, IT SUCKS!~!~!

I hear about it all over as I travle about. How no one ever comes out to compete and show off their stuff. Yet when ""WE"" do not help those who ask questions or Mentor those who come to the events. Why do we Complain when "WE" do not help those people around us at a COMP with friendly advice and say Here ALLOW me to show you something!~! Then offer them to come and join you on the field and flip there kite around and get them interested in what ""WE"" do???

We're dying for "we" keep shooting ourselves in our own FOOT!!! We do not Mentor new people and bring them into our world easily. Instead they try and get Slaughtered and frustrated and walk away.

I Personally have traveled approximately 3500 miles this season to fly the season at BASKL. This weekend is the finals at Berkeley and I hope to Get a Spot / Invite into the Nationals!

Its all FUN and its All Good Yet we all Should help those in need and show them fun and a New way to FLY

Competitions today gave me several things when I went from doing Figure 8's on a $75 kite to trick flying with a $400-500 kite. It taught me about the high end equipment available at this level and which kite maker was suited to my age & style, how to use the equipment, what not to use on the equipment and discipline in flying the custom kite. Although I have reservations of the current COMP format with the dual line kite - specifically no TRICK PARTY type format - at least its something to attend to test out new equipment and get new ideas from fellow competitiors. What is the real value of drawing circles and straight lines in a Precision format VERY WELL and STOPPING THERE on one's own capabilities with say a Deep Space or Fearless is not fully comprehensible to me at this point in time so would I jump on a plane to a AKA COMP today - NO - will I travel 3-4 hours to one for the next 10 years under the current COMP format - ABSOLUTELY. You are right EDDY its a long road but like any other SPORT ... what you put in ... IS WHAT YOU GET OUT.

I fly kites to relaxand have fun. I understand the idea of a demonstration, where everyone gets a chance to go on the field and show off what they've got, but you lose me when you start comparing who's bettter than who. I watched some of the competition at Wildwood, just not for me. I think the field would've been better used if more people got to fly on it, not just one person at a time. Out of 4 fields at Wildwood, one was designated as a dual-line field, and that was the competition. If you weren't competing, there was no where to fly.~Rob.

I compete because it is an opportunity to have an area reserved for me to fly in and I get to hear my music being played over the speaker system as I fly. I think I completely forget there are judges there.

At many festivals there is no room for sport kites, especially dual lines. There are so many show kites and SLK in the area, so if there is a competition going on, I know I will be guaranteed air space and time.

If a festival has a demo field, I have offered to fly a demo, for the same reasons...flying space, time, and to hear my music. Unfortunately, I have been at a few festivals where only the "Invited flyers" are allowed to fly. That is a real bummer!!!!

I compete because it is an opportunity to have an area reserved for me to fly in and I get to hear my music being played over the speaker system as I fly. I think I completely forget there are judges there.

At many festivals there is no room for sport kites, especially dual lines. There are so many show kites and SLK in the area, so if there is a competition going on, I know I will be guaranteed air space and time.

If a festival has a demo field, I have offered to fly a demo, for the same reasons...flying space, time, and to hear my music. Unfortunately, I have been at a few festivals where only the "Invited flyers" are allowed to fly. That is a real bummer!!!!

I like to fly my SLK, but at times it gets boring.

Shamrocky

Don't they know you're a National competition winner? I'd think you could walk onto any field you'd choose

I compete because it is an opportunity to have an area reserved for me to fly in and I get to hear my music being played over the speaker system as I fly. I think I completely forget there are judges there.

At many festivals there is no room for sport kites, especially dual lines. There are so many show kites and SLK in the area, so if there is a competition going on, I know I will be guaranteed air space and time.

If a festival has a demo field, I have offered to fly a demo, for the same reasons...flying space, time, and to hear my music. Unfortunately, I have been at a few festivals where only the "Invited flyers" are allowed to fly. That is a real bummer!!!!

I like to fly my SLK, but at times it gets boring.

Shamrocky

Don't they know you're a National competition winner? I'd think you could walk onto any field you'd choose

I can guarantee you that a "national sport kite title" means nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I seem to remember an awesome demo for the STX series kites several years ago by a national champ. Did that national champ get any $$ for it or for his association with the manufacturer?

I was Avia sponsored for a while, but that sponsorship was in place before I had any national titles. Actually, few of the sponsored fliers I've known held that sponsorship on the basis of winning national championships. They usually came through getting to know the manufacturer, being an enthusiastic representative of the product, and being willing to do some traveling to spread the word. The compensation was typically in the form of free or discounted kites, line, and parts, and some cases some travel expenses.

Don't get me wrong - I was the beneficiary of a very generous sponsor, and it it definitely made it easier to travel the sport kite circuit season after season.

I'm not saying there have never been perks for being recognized as a skilled flier. And, OK, maybe years ago winning national sport kite titles meant something. But these days, who won what where is forgotten quickly after it happens.

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Guess it is done for the love of the sport only.

That's pretty much been the only reason ever for doing it. Anyone who was expecting fame and fortune to come their way had a hard lesson to learn.

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